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Zéjel is a Spanish form with Arabic influence related to the Qasida and adopted by the Spanish troubadours of 15th century.   It may have appeared even earlier,  around the tenth century in Moorish Spain as part of a movement looking for freedom from the classical forms of the day. The zéjel tended to be a lighter form, like the English limerick.

The Zéjel is distinguished by linking rhyme established in the opening mudanza (strophe in which the theme is established in a mono-rhymed triplet). There have been many variations of the form, in Arabic a variation of the form is called the Zahal.

The elements of the simplest and most common form of the Zéjel are:

  1. syllabic, most often written in 8 syllable lines.
  2. stanzaic, opening with a mono-rhymed triplet followed by any number of quatrains.  
  3. rhymed, the rhyme of the opening mudanza establishes a linking rhyme with the end line of the succeeding quatrains. Rhyme scheme, aaa bbba ccca etc.

Here’s my poem:
 
Autumn’s Light 
Grace @Everyday Amazing

we are blurring shadows at night
grinding long hours, we’re greyed knights
scattered filaments, where’s the light?

news is grim with each passing death
i turn off the screens, take deep breath
outside, cool wind moves without sheath
as maple leaves turn russet bright

flowerless shrubs twirl, breaking necks
with sunflowers, whose yellow flecks
are browning, trampled under decks
red vines creep the walls painted white

garden is appled green & sky
cries by departing birds, heaves, sighs
as one season passes on nigh
i marvel simple joys in sight

*******

Another variation:

This is still syllabic, written in 8 syllable lines.
However, the first strophe begins with a couplet rhymed aa.
The following quatrains follow the schematic rhyme: bbba, ccca, etc.
In summary, the alternate rhyme scheme is aa bbba ccca etc.

Here is a slight variation of my poem:

we are blurring shadows at night
scattered filaments, where is the light?

news is grim with each passing death
i turn off the screens, take deep breath
outside, cool wind moves without sheath
as maple leaves turn russet bright

garden is appled green & sky
cries by departing birds, a sigh
as one season passes on nigh
i marvel simple joys in sight

Sources: Zéjel and Zéjel with a Mudanza

Writing challenge: a poem written in Zéjel poetry form as described above. There are 2 rhyme scheme variations which you can choose from, and the theme is your choice.

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See you at the poetry trail.  ~Grace~